Screw-holding screwdriver with replaceable nib

ABSTRACT

A screwdriver with a replaceable nib for use in production procedures to permit replacement of the nib as a wear part. The split nib has a distal end separation which in the combination allows resilient movement of the nibs to grasp the head of a screw prior to insertion.

United States Patent Lindberg Apr. 2, 1974 [54] SCREW-HOLDING SCREWDRIVER WITH 3,288,184 11/1966 "KyserllTIIfiTIIIITdSTSb E REPLACEABLE NIB 3,623,522 ll/l97l Lindberg l45/50 A 76 Inventor: Fritz L. Lindber 2726 Mt. Ell t 1 Ave' Flint s 48504 10 Primary Examinerl-larold D. Whitehead Assistant Examiner.l. T. Zatarga Filed: Apr. 18, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bames, Kisselle, Raisch & 21 App]. No.: 352,230 Choate [52] U.S. Cl. 145/50 E, 145/50 A 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl B25b 15/00 [58] Field of Search". 1415/50 R, 50 D, 50 E, 50 A, A screwdriver with a replaceable nib for use 1n pro- 145/50 B 50 C duction procedures to permit replacement of the nib as a wear part. The split nib has a distal end separation [56] References Cited which in the combination allows resilient movement of UNITED STATES PATENTS Walker et al 145/50 E the nibs to grasp the head of a screw prior to insertion.

6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures SCREW-HOLDING SCREWDRIV ER WITH REPLACEABLE NIB This invention relates to an improvement in a replaceable nib screwdriver.

My US. Pat. No. 3,623,522, dated Nov. 30, I971, discloses a screwdriver with a replaceable nib. The present invention is directed to an improvement of the patented construction wherein the nib will be such that a screw may be held on the nib prior to insertion. This permits application of screws in places difficult to access by the hands but large enough to permit the insertion of a screwdriver.

This improvement is accomplished by a change of design of the nibs to provide external pressure edges retained by a resilient collar and also to provide a separation at the apices of the nibs in the at rest position.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent in the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawings in which there is disclosed the principles of operation of the invention and the best mode presently contemplated for the practice thereof.

Drawings accompany the disclosure and the various views thereof may be briefly described as:

FIG. 1, a view of the improved one-piece nib and screwdriver in assembly, partly in section.

FIG. 2, an assembly view in section on a plane 90 to the view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3, a view of a layout of the nib partially formed.

FIG. 4, an end viewof FIG. 3.

FIG. 5, a side view of the layout of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6, a side view of the completely formed onepiece nib.

FIG. 7, an end view of the completely formed onepiece nib.

FIG. 8, a sectional view of an assembly showing a modified two-piece nib.

FIG. 9, a view of a pair of the modified two-piece nibs.

FIG. 10, a view of the modified two-piece nibs taken at 90 to the view of FIG. 9.

With reference to the drawings, an assembly of the improved nib is shown in FIG. 1 which includes a shank having a diametrical slot 12 in one end, a split collar 14 retained on the shank by formed depressions 16 cooperating with matching depressions in the shank above the slot, and a nib 18 having a flat shank end 20, 21 and a nib end 22, 23.

In FIG. 3, the layout of the nib prior to the final bend is shown with the two flat shank ends 20, 21 connected by a fold portion 24 at notches 26. The construction of the nib is important. Each nib portion 22, 23 is formed as a V-shaped portion having an apex 28, but the side walls of the V-portion taper inwardly and upwardly at blending into an edge 32 which runs parallel to the apex 28 and then tapers inwardly and downwardly toward the apex 28 in the screw contact edge 34.

When the nib is folded from the layout of FIG. 3 to the completed nib in FIG. 6, the fold is made to leave a gradually decreasing gap 36 from the outer end portion 34 to the shank end. Thus, the nibs are separated slightly.

In assembly, the distal end of the collar or ring 14 overlies and is in contact with the four edges 32 around the completed nib. Thus, the nib is confined in the tool shank by the frictional contact with the split ring 14 and this ring also limits the spread of the split nib.

The inherent resilience of the assembly and the split construction of the nib makes it possible to force the nib into the cross-recess of a screw head 40 and the screw 40 will be retained on the nib to permit the operator to insert the screw and turn it into position. A slight pull releases the nib from the screw.

In FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, a modified construction is shown in which the screw holding nib is formed of two parts. These parts are shown in FIG. 9 comprising two semi-nibs each having a flat shank portion formed by folding a flat piece of metal on itself to form a bight portion 52 which becomes the apex 54 of the V-shaped nib portion at the distal end of the nib. The nibs have the same edge configuration as illustrated in the previous modification with the outwardly and downwardly extending portion 60, the substantially straight portion 62 aligned with the apex, and the inwardly and downwardly extending screw contact portion 64. The bight and apices of the semi-nibs are shaped to provide an insplit ring 14 holds the bights 52 together and also limits the spread of the nibs by contact with the portions 62. Thus, the completed full nib in assembly (FIG. 8) can grasp a screw head and function in the same was as the first nodification.

I Claim:

1. A replaceable nib for a cross-type screw-driver which comprises:

a. flat portions to lie contiguously confined in a slot of a screwdriver shank, and

b. nibs formed on said flat portions comprising V- shaped walls formed to an inside apex having edges tapering up from said flat portions to a relatively straight portion substantially parallel to said flat portions and tapering back from said straight portion to the distal end of the nib.

2. A replaceable nib for a cross-type screwdriver as defined in claim 1 in which the apices of said V-shaped walls are spaced from each other at the outer end.

3. In combination,

a. a nib as defined in claim 1,

b. a shank having a slot for receiving the flat portions of said nib, and

c. a resilient collar retained on said shank having a portion overlying said flat portions and extending outward to overlie at least a portion of said straight portions of said edges.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3 in which the apices of said V-shaped walls are spaced from each other and resiliently movable toward each other to serve as a screw retaining nib prior to screw insertion. 50

5. A cross-type screwdriver with a replaceable nib of the type in which a resilient collar retains the nib on a shank having a slotted end, that improvement which comprises:

a one-piece nib comprising a shank end consisting of a flat strip of metal folded upon itself and a nib end formed at the free ends of said folded strip comprising a V-shaped portion on each folded end with the apices of the V facing each other, the edges of the V-shaped portions tapering out from the flat folded shank ends to a relatively straight portion parallel to the apices and tapering back toward the apieces at the distal ends.

6. A cross-type screwdriver nib as defined in claim 5 in which the apices of the V-shaped portions are spaced slightly from each other at the distal ends to allow the inherent resilience of the metal to serve as a retaining force when a screw is placed on said nib.

creasing gap toward the distal end. The resilience of the 

1. A replaceable nib for a cross-type screw-driver which comprises: a. flat portions to lie contiguously confined in a slot of a screwdriver shank, and b. nibs formed on said flat portions comprising V-shaped walls formed to an inside apex having edges tapering up from said flat portions to a relatively straight portion substantially parallel to said flat portions and tapering back from said straight portion to the distal end of the nib.
 2. A replaceable nib for a cross-type screwdriver as defined in claim 1 in which the apices of said V-shaped walls are spaced from each other at the outer end.
 3. In combination, a. a nib as defined in claim 1, b. a shank having a slot for receiving the flat portions of said nib, and c. a resilient collar retained on said shank having a portion overlying said flat portions and extending outward to overlie at least a portion of said straight portions of said edges.
 4. A combination as defined in claim 3 in which the apices of said V-shaped walls are spaced from each other and resiliently movable toward each other to serve as a screw retaining nib prior to screw insertion.
 5. A cross-type screwdriver with a replaceable nib of the type in which a resilient collar retains the nib on a shank having a slotted end, that improvement which comprises: a one-piece nib comprising a shank end consisting of a flat strip of metal folded upon itself and a nib end formed at the free ends of said folded strip comprising a V-shaped portion on each folded end with the apices of the V facing each other, the edges of the V-shaped portions tapering out from the flat folded shank ends to a relatively straight portion parallel to the apices and tapering back toward the apieces at the distal ends.
 6. A cross-type screwdriver nib as defined in claim 5 in which the apices of the V-shaped portions are spaced slightly from each other at the distal ends to allow the inherent resilience of the metal to serve as a retaining force when a screw is placed on said nib. 